WWF in Central America - Threats to local biodiversity

Along with the region's impressive biodiversity are equally impressive threats. Although relatively intact, the Selva Maya in Guatemala, the Miskito region in Honduras and Nicaragua, the Talamancan-Isthmian Pacific Forests in Costa Rica and Panama, and the Choco-Darien forests between Panama and Colombia, lay on the edge of inappropriate land use, such as uncontrolled agricultural development, commercial logging and urban growth.

The Mesoamerican Reef, a jewel of the Caribbean because of its array of reef types, luxuriance of corals, and nearly pristine condition supports important economic activities, such as tourism and fisheries, which continue to grow and contribute significantly to the national economies in the region.

Unfortunately, these same activities are also the major threats to the integrity of this unique ecoregion, since they often produce the destruction of coastal habitat, sedimentation, water pollution and over-exploitation of marine resources.

The Sierra de las Minas mountain range
An important terrestrial area within the Mesoamerican Reef ecoregion is the Sierra de las Minas mountain range, which is vital for water production in the driest area of Central America. But, unfortunately, in recent years local water users have noted a reduction in water quality and quantity.

Deforestation, cattle ranching, forest fires and agricultural expansion are just some of the activities that are leading to forest and freshwater habitat loss, fragmentation and down-stream sedimentation. Forest conversion imperils the hydrological cycle in the region and the adequate supply of water for industry, agriculture, domestic purposes and hydro-electric energy production, among others.

The need bring more areas under protection
However, even with all the advances that the region has had with respect to the establishment of protected areas and their more effective management, it is alarming to note the environmental deterioration the region is suffering outside the protected areas.

In a large measure, this deterioration originates from growing demographic pressures, poverty, and lack of strategic natural resource and land use planning for production. Many of these pressures stem from the existence of national policies that are in direct conflict with conservation and socio-economically sustainable development objectives.

Lack of planning and implementation at all levels
In the Central American region, natural resource policies have not been a national priority in any of the countries. The pressure of other sectors that are experiencing emergencies, such as trade, energy, health and education, have kept the governments and society from thinking about investing in environmental restoration and natural resource management over the medium and long term.

In addition to the lack of priority, existing policies have not been successful, given that in many cases they have not been implemented for lack of financial and institutional resources, for lack of political interest, or because they conflict with other existing policies in dominant sectors of the national agenda.

Even with the progress achieved in the environmental arena during the last two decades, it has been very difficult to get subjects related to natural resource policy in a high place on the political agenda.